What's happened
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Taiwan, causing casualties and damage. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. evacuates some factories as a precautionary measure. The impact on the semiconductor industry is being assessed by Taiwan's tech companies.
Why it matters
The earthquake in Taiwan, a key semiconductor manufacturing hub, has significant implications for the global tech industry. The safety of workers, potential disruptions to production, and the assessment of damages will influence the supply chain and chip manufacturing.
What the papers say
Nikkei Asia reports that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. evacuated factories as a precautionary measure. The Japan Times highlights Japan's additional subsidies to chip venture Rapidus, aiming to boost semiconductor manufacturing capabilities.
How we got here
Taiwan is a crucial player in the semiconductor industry, with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. being a major chipmaker for tech giants. The earthquake's impact on operations underscores the vulnerability of high-tech industries to natural disasters.
More on these topics
-
Japan is an island country of East Asia in the northwest Pacific Ocean. It borders the Sea of Japan to the west and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south.
-
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Limited is a Taiwanese multinational semiconductor contract manufacturing and design company.
-
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China, is a country in East Asia. Neighbouring countries include the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the south.
-
Rapidus Corporation is a semiconductor manufacturer headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Rapidus was established in August 2022 with the support of eight major Japanese companies: Denso, Kioxia, MUFG Bank, NEC, NTT, SoftBank, Sony, and Toyota.